KSU threatens agitation on power projects

Published: Thursday, July 10, 2008, 17:06 [IST]

Subscribe to Oneindia News

Shillong, Jul 10 (UNI) Meghalaya Power Minister today reiterated that any decision on the MOUs signed between the government and private power developers would be taken keeping foremost the best interest of the state.

His reiteration came after the Khasi Student's Union met him and demanded the outright scarping of the power deal, which the previous government inked with six private power developers.

The Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government had signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Jaypee Group, Dharampal Satyapal Group, ETA Star infrastructure Limited, Athena Project Private Limited, Seven Sisters Energy Limited and SEW Energy Limited under the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) system for 40 years.

'' The government should scrap the current power deal and take the views of the stakeholders into confidence before amending the power policy in the state's interest,'' KSU president Samuel Jyrwa after a meeting with Mr Sangma.

Echoing the KSU, Mr Sangma said: ''The manner in which the deals were signed in haste had created doubts in people's mind.'' In fact, soon after taking over from the Congress, the United Democratic Party-led MPA government served non-operational notices to six private power developers, asking them not to develop the power projects signed with the previous government in the state, until further notices.

The MPA government had constituted an official committee to study the details of the MOUs. The committee submitted its report to Chief Minister Donkupar Roy last week.

'' The 160-page report has been circulated to all cabinet ministers and the Cabinet would meet within 10-days to take a decision after studying the report,'' the power minister said.

Mr Sangma said any decision on the deals would be taken collectively and with consensus. ''The interest of the state and the people would be foremost in coming to a decision on the deals signed,'' he added.